first voyage: Hawkesworth, John. An Account of the Voyages undertaken by Order of His Majesty for Making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere. 52 maps and plates. 3 volumes. One map paper-backed repairing a large tear. London: Strahan & Cadell, 1773.
second voyage: Cook, James. A Voyage Towards the South Pole, and Round the World. 64 maps and plates, with the Chart of the Southern Extremity of America hand-colored. 2 volumes. London: Strahan & Cadell, 1777.
third voyage: Cook, James; and King, James. A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. 87 maps and plates (24 bound in the text volumes, 63 in the atlas). 4 volumes, including the folio Atlas. Small separation along fold of the General Chart, repaired tears to the Chart of the N.W. Coast, short repaired tear to one other plate, browning to the titles else a clean wide-margined set. London: W. and A. Strahan for G. Nichol and T. Cadell, 1784.
While Cook's first voyage did not travel to Polar regions it set in motion his thoughts on the existence of a "southern continent." On his monumental second voyage aboard the HMS Resolution, Cook became the first to cross the Antarctic Circle and delve deep into the ice. However, he returned from the voyage presuming that if such a continent existed, that it would be unattainable. Cook's third and final voyage, best remembered for its discoveries in the Pacific, also turned to the Arctic regions, as he responded to the call of the Admiralty to search for the elusive Northwest Passage. a fundamental set for collectors of travel and exploration. Holmes 3, 10 and 19; Beddie 648, 1216 and 1543; Hill 782, 358 and 361; Rosove 77 (second voyage); Taurus 1 (second voyage); Spence 314 (second voyage).

From the library of Dr. John M. Levinson, with his bookplate.